Cambridge / Judge MBA Recommendation Questions
The application to the Cambridge MBA program at Judge Business School requires a single recommendation, preferably from a manager or supervisor. They do not accept academic references or those from peers or colleagues. If you are an entrepreneur, own your own business, or work for a family business, you can select a supplier or client. The Cambridge MBA recommendation questions for 2024-2025 intake are below.
2024-2025 Cambridge MBA Recommendation Questions
Personal Information
Contact information for recommender
Length of time you have known the applicant?
In what capacity have you known the applicant?
Rate the applicant
Please use the table below to appraise the applicant in the context of her or his peer group.
- Number in peer group
- Applicant’s ranking within peer group
The form then asks recommenders to rate the applicant on a series of character and leadership traits on the following scale: Below average, Average (top 50%), Good (top 25%), Outstanding (top 10%), Exceptional (top 2%), Insufficient information.
- Integrity
- Ability to work with others
- Creativity
- Motivation
- Self-confidence
- Analytical skills
- Written communication skills
- Oral communication skills
- Leadership potential
- Responsibility for own action
- Quantitative numerical skill
Reference letter
Please also provide us with a one-two page letter of reference for the candidate. Please tell us anything that you think will help the Admissions Committee evaluate the candidate’s application, but in particular we would like you to address the following issues:
Reference criteria
The applicant has identified you as the following reference type: Supervisor
Please complete the following if you are a Supervisor
-
- Elaborate and/or provide us with concrete examples if you have rated the applicant as below average, outstanding or exceptional on any of the qualities in the ‘Rate the Applicant’ Section.
- Describe what you like most and least about working with the applicant.
- Tell us about any particular weakness the candidate has compared to other peers/team members that you regularly work with.
- Describe the applicant’s attitude and behaviour when working with: (a) managers/supervisors (b) peers (c) subordinates.
- Suggest what you think the applicant will be doing in ten years.
Please upload your reference letter here
MBA Applywire
Hi Alex and Graham, huge fan of your podcast. Love the work that you are doing, especially with the candidate profile reviews
- Female from outside the capital city in Bangladesh; 23-year-old; to accumulate 3 years of full-time work experience at matriculation in Fall 26. Also completed HBS CoRE with high honors (99th Percentile). Prepping for the GRE now and expecting a score of 330 ish, with a skew towards quant.
- Graduated with 4.0 in Econ (Minor: Finance and Math) from an international women's college in Bangladesh; extensively involved as Tutor (Math and Science Center) and Teaching Assistant (for 8 courses) during my undergrad; Secretary at the SDG Club. Have done internships and global mgmt. programs internationally, but remotely given it was during peak Covid.
- Working as an Assistant Vice President in one of the largest multinational banks; I manage the largest client of my office and oversee accounts; I also work actively on several CSR projects of my organization, including a major initiative that involves my Alma Mater. Managing a team of 3 at work now despite being the youngest in the team
- Target is to get into Top 15 MBA programs at the US with a substantial scholarship. I recognize that the Work Exp will be a major barrier. Please suggest ways in which I can maximize my chances. My goal is to do consulting with an MBB firm in the Short Term and then move to Non-profit/Social Impact (either in Consulting with orgs such as Dalberg, or at the likes of Gates Foundation etc.) focusing on women empowerment/ education.
- Planning to apply in R1 to 5 ish schools (Mix of M7, Top 10, 10-15 range) and then in R2 to 3 ish, targeting a total of 8 applications
Would love to get covered in one of your future episodes. Happy to share more about my profile and ambitions. Thanks a ton!
I have primarily worked with venture funds and startups covering a range of tax advisory projects from M&A, due diligence, venture fund setup etc. I want to go beyond tax and step into strategy consulting roles, with a focus on fund strategy and portfolio acceleration in private equity.
Extracurricular : Involved with Rotaract for 2.5 years, taken part in multiple corporate responsibility initiatives at the firm , volunteer in pet rescue initiatives for the community
- South Asian (Non-Indian), Male, 25 year old
- Bachelor in Finance and Economics (1st in Class) Graduated May 2023
- Activities:
Debating (Coached National Debate Team to its best performance in the World Championship, 3x Asian Top 10 debater, won/competed in finals of Oxford Intervarsity, UCL Intervarsity, Durham-Oxford-Cambridge Open, and many more prestigious competitions, Mentored 100+ debaters across 15 countries and advised Debate Organizations in Australia and China).
Non Profit (Founding member of a student org; Conducted 5 city-wide projects on Food Security, Clothing for the poor in Winter, and Improving sanitation in slums that received national coverage)
- More on Work: My focus is on Growth Tech (Startups and fast scaling businesses) and Public Sector practice area. I have led the writing of a report we co-published with a client (my name is on the acknowledgement section). The client and Partners loved my work and have now staffed me in writing another report for the same client. Evals are highly positive and have endorsements from 2 Senior Partners in the org (who are happy to write my recc)
- What I am doing outside of work now: I had a merit scholarship offer from LBS for its MiM program upon graduation. I have been helping folks from my country get into top tier early career master's programs pro-bono (Most people here cannot afford Western Admissions consultants as the charges are exorbitant for us given the country is an LDC). Since joining work, I have continued to work as a selector for National Debate Team and I take pro-bono sessions for disadvantaged schools. I have also taken sessions at local consulting firms to teach them what I have learned from my MBB experience (I am the first from my country to make it to an MBB after a local undergrad; MBBs do not have offices in my country)
- Future Plan: Continue at MBB and specialize in Venture Capital/ Startups. I have a very good network with VCs and founders in my home country. I would love to raise a fund to help the startup ecosystem of my country in the future or work in the capacity of mentoring founders.
- Target: Full-rides to top schools such as HBS, Wharton, CBS, Sloan. Looking for tips to develop my profile for 2027 Fall entry. I believe that I have what it takes to make it to an M7 but would love to take the 2 years to solidify my profile so that I can be in the mix for a good scholarship
Interests: Martial Arts, Reading (I have read books from Wharton Professors such as Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, and Katy Milkman) Weightlifting, Marathon Running (I am aware this is super cliche haha)
Side-note: My GRE split is 166 Q (84%ile), 169 V (99%ile), and 5.5 AWA (98%ile). I can improve my Quant to 169-170 but I doubt the extra effort needed now will make a material difference. Would love to have your thoughts
Background in design. Graduate degree in design from Harvard. Transitioned public sector consulting and planning work.
MBA LiveWire
interviewed on Dec 11, no email just checked Portal and saw I was admitted. no scholarship.
5 YoE as Tech Policy Researcher and Consultant with one of India’s leading think tanks